hutchison



(No Model.)

W. HUTGHISON.

OATMEAL AND GRAIN REDUCTION MILL.

No; 331,403. Patented Dec. 1, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM HUTGHISON, OF OTTAWA, ONTARIO, CANADA.

OATMEAL AND GRAIN REDUCTION MILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 331,403, dated December 1, 1885. Application filed July 29, 1885. Serial No. 173,009. (No model.) Patented in Canada August 10, 1883, No. 11,465.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HnrcHIsoN, of the city of Ottawa, in the county of Carleton, in the Province of Ontario, in the Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oatmeal and Grain Re duction Mills; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention has for its object to feed the cutting-rollers of oatmeal-mills or the reduction-rollers of flour-mills, whereby the groats or grain will pass endwise between the rollers.

My invention consists of a feed-hopper having two downwardly converging verticallygrooved sides flexibly closed at the ends, and reciprocated in opposite directions horizontally, by pitmen or other suitable means, to cause groats or grain to travel endwise down the grooves to the cutting-rollers of oatmealmills, or to the smooth rollers of grain-reduction mills.

Figure 1 is a top view of a mill embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

A is the main frame, supporting a casing, A, V-shaped at bottom, to inclose smooth or longitudinally-serrated rollers B B, journaled in the main frame and driven by belt-pulley B. The rollers are geared together by cogwheels B B, having the same number of cogs to run the rollers at equal speed and cause the rollers, when serrated, to cut the groats falling endwise from the feed-hopper, which has converging sides 0 G, grooved vertically and closed at the ends by a flexible material, D. The lower part of the hopper projects downwardly through an opening in the flat top of easing A, which opening is longer than the hopper to allow of reciprocation of the sides 0 O in opposite directions by pitmen L L, and eccentrics sleeved on shaft I, which is driven by belt 2, pulleys 3 4, shaft 5, and frictiongears 6 7 from the journal of roller B. The sides (1 G of the hopper have longitudinally on the outside ahorizontal rail, E, bearing in notches in blocks F, of which two or more are placed endwise against the sides 0 0, each block bearing in a base, J, which is provided with a guide-channel in which the block slides adjustably, so that by moving the blocks outwardly on one or both sides the hopper will be widened, and a reverse movement of the blocks will contract the same to regulate the feed to the rollers. Each block F is held sta tionary by a clamp-screw, K, passing through a slot in the block, the head let into base J, and the other end provided with a nut to screw down to the block. Each block F is provided with a screw, F, passing into the notch to take up the wear of the rail in its bearing. The roller B is journaled in fixed boxes, or in movable boxes 8, sliding on bars 9, having springs 10 coiled thereon to allow the roller to yield to an obstruction; but preferably these boxes are fixed to frame A.

The journal-boxes 11 of roller B are seven ally adjustable on frame A by a hand-screw, 12, working in a nut, 13, seated loosely in the box, and kept therein by the expansion of a spring, 14, coiled around the screw, between the box and bearing 15 of the screw, so that when an obstruction interposes the ro1lers,roller B will yield and allow it to pass to prevent damage to the machine.

The inner faces of the hopper-sides C O are beveled at the bottom to nearly a feather-edge, to allow the hopper being set low down, so as to bring the discharge near to the rollers and insure the groats passing endwise between the rollers, whereby they will be cut transversely.

I do not limit myself to the particular mechanism shown and described for reciprocating the sides of the hopper, as means other than pitmen may be employed.

I claim as my invention- 1. In afeed-hopper, the combination of two oppositely-converging sides, 0 0,, vertically grooved, flexible endsD, and means for reciprocating said sides in opposite directions, as set forth, for the purpose described.

2. In afeed-hopper, the combination of two laterally-adj ustable downwardly converging vertically-grooved sides, 0 O, flexible ends D, and means for reciprocating said sides in opposite directions, as set forth, for the purpose described.

3. The combination, in a feed-hopper, of two downwardly converging vertically grooved sides, 0 G, beveled vertically at the bottom and laterally adjustable, flexible ends D, and pitmen LL, reciprocating said sides in opposite directions, as set forth, for the purpose described.

4. lhe combination of the verticallygrooved hopper-sides O 0', having 011 the outside a horizontal rail, E, flexible ends D, adjustable bearings F, and pitmen L L, reciprocating said sides in opposite directions, as set forth.

WM. HUTGHISON.

WVitnesses:

O. G. PENNocK, JOHN GRIST. 

